1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microphone assembly mounted on a control module panel fitted inside a vehicle and having, for example, room lamps and various switches.
2. Description of the Invention
The driver of a vehicle may sometimes make a phone call while traveling, and for such situations generally a hands free microphone and a speaker are used in a vehicle telephone from the point of view of safety. This hands free microphone is a component of a control module, and in many cases is fitted to a panel of the control module as a microphone assembly. In such cases, there is a problem where the microphone picks up surrounding noise such as noise outside the vehicle and vibration noise of the vehicle itself coming in from the rear of the panel.
In this respect, in a related art example (Japanese patent laid-open No. 2003-11736), the extent to which surrounding noise enters a microphone is reduced by using a housing for housing the microphone that has a vibration preventing rubber cover at an outer side. This will be described in more detail below using FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C.
A microphone assembly housing 100 comprises a hard case 102 for holding a microphone, and a vibration preventing rubber cover 104 arranged so as to cover the hard case. An opening section of this housing 100 is arranged so as to face a sound passing section 106 formed in a panel, and a microphone 108 is fitted into this sound passing section to be able to pick up a voice inside the vehicle. On the other hand, the housing 100 reduces the extent to which surrounding noise enters as a result of passing through the housing 100 by having the vibration preventing rubber cover 104 outside. Also, the vibration preventing cover 104 is elastic, and reduces surrounding noise entering through a gap potentially formed between the panel 110 and the housing 100 (vibration preventing cover 104), by preventing this gap in the first place by sealing the opening section to the panel 110.
With this related art example, using the structure shown in FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C, the housing 100 for the microphone assembly is pressed against the panel. A groove section 112 is provided in the housing 100, and a U-shaped section 116 of a press bracket 114 is fitted into this groove section. On the other hand, a screw fixing section 118 of the press bracket 114 is screwed to a boss section 120 provided on the panel. From the above, the position of the housing 100 with respect to the panel 110 is regulated. The housing 100 is pressed against the panel by flexing pressure of the press bracket 114.
In the structure shown in this related art example, it is necessary to provide a special press bracket dependent on the angle of the panel surface for sealing the microphone assembly housing.